THE British Heart Foundation (BHF) is urging people in the South West to turn from spectator to sportsperson this summer, as new figures show that the average resident spends nearly 21 more hours watching sport than getting active every year.

The heart research charity has released the statistics to encourage people to sign up to its iconic London to Brighton bike ride on Sunday, June 17.

The BHF discovered that residents spend an estimated 100 hours watching and listening to sport each year – the equivalent of 453 million hours across the region. This is compared to an average of 79 hours a year per person, or 357 million hours taking part in sporting activities.

Our infatuation with watching and listening to sport doesn’t stop there, with residents spending a total of £743 million a year - the equivalent of £14 per person a month on consuming sport, which includes things like TV subscriptions for sports channels, sports streaming services, tickets to live games and playing sport-based computer games.

The picture is also different across the UK. Residents in the capital are the biggest splurgers when it comes to watching sport, with an average of £25 a month being spent and residents in Wales shell out the least, with around £12 each month.

With only a sixth (16 per cent) of the region running or cycling to work at least once a week, compared to a quarter (23 per cent) of the working residents who watch or listen to sport at least once a week on their commute, it’s possibly time to reach for the off button and stop being on the side lines.

The BHF wants to transform everyone from TV junkies to champions by encouraging everyone to take on its flagship event, the London to Brighton Bike Ride, and join the fight against heart disease.

The BHF’s London to Brighton Bike Ride has taken place for more than 40 years and is Europe’s oldest charity cycling event.

It is a fantastic chance for families, friends and colleagues to enjoy a day out together, cycling through some of the UK’s most picturesque counties.

This year’s event is sponsored by Jaffa® Fruit.

By taking part in the London to Brighton Bike Ride you will help power ground-breaking research to bring new hope to the seven million people living with heart and circulatory disease in the UK.

To sign up for this year’s London to Brighton Bike Ride, visit: bhf.org.uk/l2bbr .

Alan Quick